The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to cooking containers for use in cooking foodstuffs, particularly microwave cooking of foodstuffs.
There are several cooking containers in the market place which are usually in the form of bags or pouches, and contain foodstuffs sealed therewithin. Such containers are usually rectangular in shape and are formed of plastics film material, suitably laminated.
A problem associated with such containers is that when the container is heated in a microwave oven, vapour generated from the foodstuffs in association with the heating increases the gas pressure inside the container and this increased gas pressure may burst open the container so that the product may be destroyed and scattered inside the microwave oven. In order to alleviate such gas pressure increase the container may be partially broken open or an opening be cut therein so as to communicate the inside of the container with the ambience to allow escape of the vapour generated from the foodstuff during its heating. However, such method can make the heat cooking more problematic. In addition, if the user forgets to form such opening procedure prior to heating and the foodstuff remains sealed in the container when same is heated, then such may well result in the bursting of the container body.
Further devices are available which are provided with means whereby, when the container is being heated and the pressure builds up, the pressure is allowed to be removed by suitable venting means which become operational when the pressure within the container reaches a selected level.
Currently, the majority of cooking containers, in the form of bags or pouches, are prepared in a ready sealed manner with the foodstuff therein. Such containers are purchased from a retail outlet and the user then places same in the microwave oven and cooks same with the pressure being relieved by the venting means referred to above.